Thursday, June 9, 2011

Tern, Tern, Tern....

Sorry, couldn't resist the tern pun...

If you've been to a beach on the Cape lately you have probably seen and heard terns. Lots of them. Terns are colonial nesters and gather in large groups to court, mate, nest and raise their young. They like sandy spots with some grass to afford good hiding spots and also like spots that tend to be a bit more isolated and surrounded by water.

Tern colonies on the Cape tend to be pretty localized but they may also change from season to season. Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, Town Neck in Sandwich and South Monomoy all have sizable tern colonies. There are others, too, of course but these popped into my head first.

There are several types of tern that nest here including the tiny least tern shown above. Note the yellow bill. They are also quite small which is easy to tell when you see them mixed in with other terns such as the common tern. Roseate and arctic terns are rare breeders here but can be found in certain locations and in the late summer and early fall all bets are off for the Cape hosts huge flocks of mixed terns as they stage for migration and we never know what kinds of terns may show up then.

This last picture shows a typical nest area. Like the plovers, terns build very minimal nests that are really not much more than shallow scrapes in the sand.

Terns are easy to tell from gulls if you pay attention to just a few things. The terns we get here tend to be smaller than gulls but mostly they look slimmer, more aerodynamic and have long pointy wings. They can hover and dive as well, something you won't see a gull doing.

Because terns tend to hang out by the water's edge many people confuse them with sandpipers. Unlike sandpipers, however, terns do not run along the shore. They tend to be either resting, grooming or getting ready to lift off.

What to do about injured or stranded birds and animals? Please call one of these places

Art and Nature Classes have begun!

My art and nature classes for all ages are now listed online. You may sign up for one or as many as you'd like--for both adults and children. Beginners are always welcome, even in the outdoor watercolor classes. Please go to the Cape Cod Art and Nature Website for more specific information.

About Me

Thanks for stopping by to share my love of the beauty and nature of Cape Cod. I am an artist, writer, naturalist and educator. Everything interests me, everything is a possible subject for contemplation and learning. I write and illustrate several columns for local newspapers, teach classes, lead walks and do my own creative work as well.

Winter...

You can find some of my non nature essays on Open Salon

If you are missing my Weekly Nature Watch in the Enterprise....

Please write or call your local editor. The Region Section is no longer a separate part of the paper and each editor makes the call weekly as to whether my column goes in to their paper. I am lobbying to get the column posted online each week but please feel free to contact the paper on your own. When readers speak, editors listen.

Some of my recent articles In the Cape Codder and The Barnstable Patriot